Vehicles having internal combustion engines require periodic refueling to enable continued combustion operation in the engine after periods of vehicle use. Vehicles may be equipped with refueling ports to enable refueling nozzles to be inserted into a refueling conduit to enable fuel to be delivered to a fuel tank in the vehicle. However, the refueling port may only be configured to receive certain types of standardized nozzles, to reduce the likelihood of filling the fuel tank with an improper fuel. Specifically, mis-fueling inhibitors may be provided in refueling ports to inhibit nozzles having certain sizes and/or geometries from being inserted into the refueling ports. Consequently, certain refueling ports may only be able to receive a limited number of refueling nozzles, thereby decreasing the refueling port's applicability. For example, the refueling port may not accept nozzles from a fuel can, preventing a vehicle operator from remotely refueling their vehicle.
JP201276754 discloses a refueling funnel for refueling a vehicle from a portable fuel can. The refueling funnel includes a connecting part which spans the diameter of a filler pipe.
The Inventors have recognized several drawbacks with the refueling funnel disclosed in JP201276754. Firstly, the refueling funnel may build up a large amount of electrostatic charge during refueling. The refueling funnel may be particularly susceptible to electrostatic charge build-up when the flowrate of the fuel through the funnel is high. Moreover, the geometry of the funnel may enable a refueling nozzle to seal against the funnel during refueling, further increasing the build-up of electrostatic charge.
As such in one approach a refueling adapter is provided. The refueling adapter includes a nozzle section and an inlet section coupled to and positioned upstream of the nozzle section, the inlet section including a restrictor element extending across an inlet section flow passage and an anti-sealing rib coupled to an inlet section housing and axially extending across the inlet section flow passage.
The restrictor element increases losses in the adapter, thereby decreasing the flowrate of the fuel through the refueling adapter and decreasing electrostatic charge build-up during refueling. Moreover, the anti-sealing rib reduces the likelihood of a nozzle sealing against the housing of the refueling adapter, further reducing the amount of electrostatic charge build up in the refueling adapter during refueling. As a result, the likelihood of an electric discharge occurring in the fuel which may cause a fire and/or explosion is reduced.
In some examples, the refueling adapter may comprise one or more non-conductive material(s), due to the reduction in electrostatic charge build-up. Consequently, the price of the refueling adapter may be reduced when compared to refueling adapter which may comprise costly conductive materials.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.